Reliability of an Inertial Measurement System Applied to the Technical Assessment of Forehand and Serve in Amateur Tennis Players

Traditional methods for evaluating tennis technique, such as visual observation and video analysis, are often subjective and time consuming. On the other hand, a quick and accurate assessment can provide immediate feedback to players and contribute to technical development, particularly in less experienced athletes. This study aims to validate the use of a single inertial measurement system to assess some relevant technical parameters of amateur players. Among other things, we attempt to search for significant correlations between the flexion extension and torsion of the torso and the lateral distance of the ball from the body at the instant of impact. This research involved a group of amateur players who performed a series of standardized gestures (forehands and serves) wearing a sensorized chest strap fitted with a wireless inertial unit. The collected data were processed to extract performance metrics. The percentage coefficient of variation for repeated measurements, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Spearman’s correlation were used to determine the system’s reliability. High reliability was found between sets of measurements in all of the investigated parameters. The statistical analysis showed moderate and strong correlations, suggesting possible applications in assessing and optimizing specific aspects of the technique, like the player’s distance to the ball in the forehand or the toss in the serve. The significant variations in technical execution among the subjects emphasized the need for tailored interventions through personalized feedback. Furthermore, the system allows for the highlighting of specific areas where intervention can be achieved in order to improve gesture execution. These results prompt us to consider this system’s effectiveness in developing an on-court mobile application.